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bloodsong1Sano POV
The knocking woke me up. It was familiar knocking, entirely too familiar this early in the morning. I rolled off the couch, wondering when I acquired a blanket, and opened the door, knuckling my eyes.
"Jo-chan, do you have any idea..." I started and was promptly sent stumbling back by a pissed off Kaoru. I blinked several times. Kenshin was right behind her, making sure to close and lock the door properly.
"You, you...TORI-ATAMA!!" Jo-chan shrieked. My half-sleepy, half-hungover brain decided Kenshin would be the proper one to hide behind, so I did.
"Jo-chan? What are you doing here?" I finally asked, cowering behind my partner. Kaoru continued to breathe fire. Kenshin looked over his shoulder, obviously amused.
"Kaoru wanted to see you for herself, that she did."
"HEY! You are NOT pinning this on ME, A-NA-TA," I winced at her volume and wondered if Spitfire had any painkillers us Crowleys could take safely. "YOU were the one who insisted we come to Chicago on a redeye. I HATE flying at night!"
"Wait, what?" I asked, awake enough to process words instead of just tone of voice. I glanced at the slim shoulders I was clutching. Kenshin's ponytail swished back and forth.
"Your message was not very coherent, Sano. We came to make sure you were safe. Battousai knew you were alive, but that was all," He explained. Kaoru growled, looking around the living room. I stayed behind Kenshin.
"So, the mark works long distance?" I asked stupidly. Amber eyes glinted at me from over Kenshin's shoulder.
"I could find you anywhere in the world, Sanoske," 'Sai informed me, reaching up to pat my hand. I blinked at him a few times and let go, slowly pulling myself upright and keeping a close eye on Jo-chan, who was considering the bookshelves.
"I..uh," Any comment I wanted to make was suddenly drowned out by rock music. Very loud rock music. Kaoru covered her ears, glaring at the hallway. I cocked my head to the side and glanced at Kenshin, eyes already bleeding back to violet.
"Am I...hearing that right? Meatloaf?"
-----
Kenshin POV!
"Meatloaf?" Battousai sounded amused.
I am sure Rachel-dono has her reasons. We all winced when a voice joined the music. Not having heard Rachel sing before her Change, I couldn't speak of her talent, but the raw agony threading through the words had me moving towards the hallway. Kaoru grabbed my arm.
"Kenshin! She's a MEDUSA." Kaoru hissed. I gently patted her hand.
"Battousai has lots of experience with Medusa and Rachel-dono knows us. We will be safe," Kaoru shook her head, ready to protest, so I kissed her open mouth. It is a sneaky tactic, but it usually works with my mate. I peeled her fingers off my arm and darted to the bedroom door before she could berate me, again. It was locked, a simple matter to undo. Misao has been very helpful in teaching us subtler ways of getting in and out of rooms. Closing the door, I kept my eyes on the ground. Pained hissing told me where Rachel-dono was and I turned in her direction, gaze fixed to the carpet. Whatever was going on, her living hair was very distressed.
"Like a bat out of Hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes! When the night is over, like a bat out of HelI, I'll be gone, gone, gone. Like a bat out of Hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes! But when the day is done and the sun goes down and the moonlight's shining through. Then like a sinner before the gates of Heaven I'll come crawling on back to you." Rachel-dono was facing away from us. I risked a quick glance. She was standing in front of a vanity table covered with masks and sunglasses, staring at a curtain of black velvet hiding the mirror.
Suicide?
"It is possible. She is in so much pain, hear how her snakes cry out."
"I'm going to hit the highway like a battering ram on a silver Black Phantom bike. When the metal is hot and the engine is hungry and we're all about to see the light," She sang, softer then before, fingers fumbling through the items on the table. A white death mask was pulled from the pile and carefully fitted over her face. I kept my eyes on her shoulders until she turned towards me. The eyeholes of the mask were covered in white lenses.
"Nothing ever grows in this rotten old hole, everything's stunted and lost. And nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls and NOTHING'S ever worth the cost!" She spat at me, her voice regaining volume and pain. I said nothing, watching her mask closely. Her snakes were reaching out towards me, hissing softly in harmony.
What do we do?
"We wait. Clio had been looking for a singer, this is now her best and purest form of expression. It's been a while, I don't remember how this song ends."
I never listened to Meatloaf. Rachel-dono had been singing during our exchange, a small, sad smile on her face.
"If I've gotta be damned, you know I wanna be damned, dancing through the night with you. If I've gotta be damned, you know I wanna be damned, if I've gotta be damned, you know I wanna be damned, if I gotta be damned, you know I wanna be damned, dancing through the night, dancing through the night, dancing through the night with you!"
"LIKE HELL!!" Kaoru yelled from the hallway. I winced as Rachel-dono came closer, dropping to one knee in front of me.
"Oh Baby, you're the only thing in this whole world that's pure and good and right and wherever you are and wherever you go, there's always gonna be some light. But I've got to get out, I've gotta break it out now, before the final crack of dawn. So we gotta make the most of our one night together, when it's over, you know, I'll be so alone." Her head dropped for a moment before flying back as she surged to her feet.
"Like a bat out of Hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes! When the night is over, like a bat out of HelI, I'll be gone, gone, gone. Like a bat out of Hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes! But when the day is done and the sun goes down and the moonlight's shining through. Then like a sinner before the gates of Heaven I'll come crawling on back to you!" She looked at me, shaking her head as she repeated the last line. Her arms flew out, hands pointing to something far in the distance, her living hair rising up until all the snakes seemed to be standing on their tails, hissing madly.
"I can see myself tearing up the road, faster, then any Gorgon's ever gone. And my skin is raw, but my soul is ripe and no one's gonna stop me now, I gotta make my escape. But I CAN'T stop thinking of you! And I never see the sudden curve 'till it's way too late. No I never see the sudden curve 'till it's way too late!" Her face seemed to light up through the mask as she turned her attention back to me.
"Then I'm dying at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun. Torn and twisted at the foot of a burning bike. And I think somebody somewhere must be tolling a bell. And the last thing I see is my heart, still beating, breaking out of my body and flying away, like a bat out of Hell!" I gripped Battousai tightly as she dropped to her knees again, her entire body straining with arms outstretched and head tipped back.
"Then I'm dying at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun. Torn and twisted at the foot of a burning bike. And I think Kenshin feels he must now toll a bell. And the last thing I see is my heart, still beating, breaking out of my body and flying away, like a bat out of Hell! Like a bat out of Hell! Like a bat out of Hell!" She screamed the last two lines.
Now?
"Now."
I walked forward and knelt beside the sobbing Medusa, ignoring how the song crashed down around us before going silent. Slowly, gently, I reached over and touched her shoulder. She flinched away.
"You are not alone, Medusa-dono," I whispered. Her face tipped up, the death mask staring at me blankly, before she fell into my arms, crying so hard she was gasping. I gently stroked her back and smiled, feeling Battousai's Ki wrapping around us both. Snakes tangled in my hair, nuzzling.
Gratitude?
"Snakes and dragons are distant cousins," Battousai replied with his chill laugh. I shrugged. It took several minutes for Rachel-dono to calm herself. She finally pushed herself out of my arms, turning away to lift her mask and wipe her face.
"Do I want to know why you're here?" She asked roughly, wiping her damp hands on her pants. I stood and offered her a hand up.
"Sano's message was not clear, we came to make sure he was safe. Once we realized he was with you, our concern eased," I said. She tipped her head and put her hands on her hips.
"Goddess, he's such an idiot. I TOLD him to tell you he was safe!"
"KENSHIN!" Kaoru hollered through the door. Rachel-dono winced and scuttled back.
"Oh HADES! I'm going to die, aren't I?" She whispered. I shook my head, giving her a knowing look.
"Why is it every time I see you, you ask that question?"
"She's your MATE! I'm FEMALE and SINGLE! That makes me a threat to her!" She hissed. Battousai laughed.
"May I?"
Please! I slid back in my mind, letting scales and cool steel wrap around me. Battousai smiled at Rachel.
"Rachel, do you really think you have anything I am interested in?" He asked. Rachel's mouth worked a few times before she shook her head violently, snakes hissing in protest.
"Goddess NO! Medusa don't mate, you know that! But does SHE know?" She asked, pointing at the door.
"I do now!" Kaoru yelled through the door. Rachel groaned, covering her masked face with her hands.
"Kill me now, please," She grumbled. Battousai glided over and took one hand, tugging until she looked at him.
"You are a brave soul, Rachel,"
"Rachel died over two years ago, Master Sword-Spirit. I don't have a name."
"No? Then we will have to give you one. Come. I would like you to meet my mate." He tugged her towards the vanity and picked up a silver domino. "Here. Wear this. It suits you much better."
